KPPU Accuses Google Of Monopoly, Google Admits Disappointed

JAKARTA - Recently, the chairman of the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) M. Fanshurullah Asa, revealed that Google has allegedly committed a market monopoly, related to Google Play Billing.

"As the first step in law enforcement in the digital market, KPPU has completed an investigation into the giant digital company, Google, which is indicated to have used its dominant position to suppress the market through the implementation of Google Pay Billing," Fanshurullah said in an official broadcast quoted Wednesday, February 7.

Responding to the KPPU's decision to continue this case to the filing stage, Google admitted that it was disappointed. Even so, Google insists that it will continue to communicate with KPPU and support the process.

"KPPU's decision to proceed to the filing stage is disappointing because it ignores the value of Google Play's support for Indonesian developers (starting from improving skills to connecting their applications instantly to a global audience)," wrote a Google representative to VOI.

Google added that this decision rejected their initiative to actively discuss a series of proposals that would address their concerns in a way that would not undermine the safety of apps on the Play Store.

"As a responsible actor in the local ecosystem, we remain committed to supporting developers with tools and capabilities that help them build successful applications and businesses, as well as ensuring a safe and reliable experience for all users on the Play Store," he concluded.

Previously, KPPU had investigated the potential for unfair business practices by Google for the use of exclusive payment services for the Google Play Store software distribution platform in 2022.

The move follows a similar investigation by antitrust regulators of other countries or globally involving Alphabet Inc's Google.